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June 5, 2009

G55: Rangers 5, Red Sox 1

Julio Lugo's inability to field his position and record the third out extended Texas's fifth inning and Ian Kinsler crushed a three-run home run to left.

With two outs, Elvis Andrus's grounder to Lugo's right should have been scooped up for the final out. But the ball trickled under his glove -- he may have been screened by Marlon Byrd breaking for third, but the play was not that difficult -- and into left field. That scored the Rangers' first run. Then Kinsler stepped to the plate.

The Red Sox tried to rally in the eighth. Millwood was sent out after seven innings and 105 pitches. His fatigue was obvious. He fell behind Jason Bay 3-1 before Bay reached on an infield error. He walked Mike Lowell on four pitches. David Ortiz lined a single to right, scoring Bay and ending Millwood's night.

Eddie Guardado came in with the potential tying run on deck -- and slammed shut the door. He struck out Jason Varitek, got Jacoby Ellsbury to fly to left and retired pinch-hitter Rocco Baldelli on a fielder's choice.

Back at Fenway Park for two three-game series, against the Rangers and Yankees. After that -- 15 interleague games. One big question: How much time will David Ortiz get at first base?

The Red Sox finished their 6-4 road trip on a strong note. In the last run through the rotation (five games), the starters had a 2.01 ERA.

After an 8.66 ERA in April, Penny has pitched extremely well, for a fifth starter. He had an ERA of 4.17 in six May starts, tossing 36.2 innings and allowing 46 hits but only six walks, while striking out 27. Those hits gave opponents a .305 average against him, but he limited them to a .333 OBP.

Millwood had a good April, but slumped in May: 4.28 in six starts and an opponents line of .280/.354/.490.

It's not about dedication, I never claimed to watch every game, it's simply an issue of not understanding how people can sleep if the game's on. If I'm at a wedding I'm able to at least check the score constantly. Choosing to sleep is knowing the game's right there, could be watched, but not watching. Just to clarify what I was talking about. Maybe someday the "tiredness" gene will win out while a game is on for me. We'll see.

And your significant other is a Yankee fan, as I recall. I imagine there aren't not a lot of people in London who follow baseball. Nice that you both like baseball, even if not the same team.

Pedro was magical. I remember taking my daughters to Fenway when they were pretty young, and Pedro was pitching. I told them to watch the game because they were going to see one of the greatest pitchers ever.

I just have been waiting till the time when I said I was doing something else while a game was on, and having everyone say "you got mad at me for missing a game!" And I wanted to clarify it's a sleeping issue, not a "missing games" issue.

If only our fielder could have caught like that tonight. We might have seen the Dutch off. Your fielding standards, even with gloves on, always astounds me. The accuracy of throwing in particular. Our lot couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo tonight.

We were supposed to have chicken with a mango salsa tonight, but when we got home from the grocery store, we realized that they had failed to pack the chicken. We were too tired to go back and get it (we called and were told we could pick up a new package at our convenience), so we had cheese omelettes for dinner instead.

Did 3 years of long distance with my wife in CA, before marriage... she in northern CA and me down in SoCal. Used to meet half-way and drive into the Sierra Nevada mountains. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were our courtin' country.

Were there no buses you could have taken? I used to get rides sometimes, and Harvey had a car, but mostly I took Greyhound. They are still in business, so I guess I wasn't a major contributor to their finances.

Became a Sox fan in 96... the early Nomah and Pedro years. Grew up Dodger Blue, but following a West Coast NL team from the east just seemed silly at the time (not to mention that the Blue Crew was spledidly mediocre at the time.)

Been a great 13 years now and the Sox are the ONLY team for my two sons.

I agree, Vin Scully is the best. The voice I truly associate with baseball. I can still recall working in the lab (grad school) listening to Vin call game 1 of the '88 WS when Gibson cranked a 2 run dong off Eck on a full count 2 out slider.

You're probably better off not having the internet for long-distance relationships. Perhaps. Thing that would bug me would be sitting at the computer for hours and hours on end checking e-mail or a website wishing, hoping, waiting. Not being productive at all. At least without internets, you live your life and you have some or good idea of when you'll be in contact again.

Ish, even back then you waited for phone calls and mail when you were unsure of relationships. The internet means that IF the person wants to talk to you, at least you know they can and for free. In the old days, even if the person did want to talk to you, you had to wait for snail mail or pay big bucks for a phone call.